Welcome, little one
by Knobi Wa
Summary: We know a little about anyone from Midnight. Here is a little AU Oneshot about the arrival of one particular member of this town. All characters from Midnight, Texas are owned by Charlaine Harris.


It was a beautiful sunset in this little town. That was what Joe was thinking as he and Chuy sat in Home Cookin. There young little peke Rasta was lying under his stool, sleepy from the day.

They both were silent and tired. It was a long and busy day. Joe had three customers with very specific tattoo wishes. Chuy had four women, who wanted to get their nails done.

They both agree, to make it an early night.

After the sun was gone, Lemuel, the actual owner of Midnight Pawn (just under another name), came in and sat next to Chuy.

"Hey, Lem", Joe said tired. "Had a good sleep?"

"Actually yes", Lem answered. "You seem tired. Busy day?"

"That is one way to call it", Chuy answered with a tired smile. "I think tomorrow will be very quiet."

Then they saw Mildred Loeffler. The witch was a very nice woman. She looked anxious today with her skirt and a face, that was normally nicely round and warm, like someone who always had cookies in their basket. But Mildred had no basket and her face was not the normally warm expression.

"Good evening", she said. "Hey Lem. Slept fine?"

She sat down next to Lem and her nervousness caught their attention.

"Yes, but you worry me" was the vampire's answer.

"I have a feeling, like something extraordinary is going to happen or at least something special. I don't know. I just..." She trailed off and when their food arrived they fell silent.

They left Home Cookin together later. Mildred seemed a little less nervous, but she looked Witch Light Road up and down, like she is waiting for someone or something.

"See anything?" Chuy asked.

Mildred wanted to answer him, but then she saw it and she was not the only one.

All of them looked to a very big cat, with orange fur, black stripes, big paws and a big belly. It was a tiger and everyone of them was sure, that this was not a normal tiger. And it seemed like it was pregnant.

"That I did not expect for tonight", Lemuel said. They looked around, too make sure no one else was on the streets.

"OK, come with me", Mildred said. "Come on. I have a place, where you and your cub will be save."

The tiger did not move at first but it panted hard. Lemuel, Joe, Chuy and Mildred coaxed her into the witch' house.

It wasn't an every day thing, even in Midnight.

Inside they heard the sound of breaking bones and they helped the writhing naked body to lay on Mildred's bed. A beautiful women with black hair laid down and Mildred worked on getting something to calm her. She looked to the other three, with a knowing look.

"Is it save here?" she asked, rubbing her belly. Her cub was on the way, they were pretty sure.

"Yes, it is" Lemuel answered. "Welcome in Midnight." His very blue eyes looked sad. She was not in good condition.

She had wounds, old and new, some were bleeding. They had to be made from special weapons or the healing process of were's would made them vanish.

"Will it stay that way?" she said tired. Then she moaned. "Its good, my cub. I know." She said it with a warm, lovely voice while she stroked her belly with more soft touches.

"Seems like he wants out", Chuy said. He was fully awake now, with a baby on his way. Mildred brought warm water, many cloths and a bottle. Lemuel stood up to help her. Joe and Chuy made place and tried to talk with the tired were.

"Who is the father?" Chuy asked. The look on her face turned from warm love to sad anger. "I am sorry." Chuy took her hand and Joe laid a hand on her hair.

"He made sure that I got away. Our child should get a chance to live." She said it with warm teary eyes. Mildred made sure, she was comfortable, but her strength ceased.

"You have to push. Come on", she instructed with a warm voice. Than they heard it. A storm was rising. Thunder and rain were loud in Mildred's house, but she worked nonetheless to soothe the becoming mother and to help her through the birth.

The three guys were trying to help her. They talked to her, when she didn't need to push, gave her water and washed the bloody cloths.

"So what is your name?" Chuy asked.

"Mer...Mercedes" she answered, trying to breathe.

"You have a beautiful name", answered Lemuel with a sad smile.

They all could see it, she was on the brink of death, using all the energy she has left for this last task: To let her child be born to this cruel but beautiful world.

While her pain was rising, Joe asked more: "You have an idea how he or she should be named?"

"I thought about it", she said with a tired smile. "I am pretty sure, he will be a boy." They all smiled and while Mildred ordered her to push more, a little tiny, striped head appeared.

They all saw, how a tiny, little tiger cub was born. For a second they were afraid that he wasn't breathing.

"Please..." Mercedes whispered. Mildred took the little cub, without thinking about the juices he was still covered in and laid him in the arms of his mother. "Hello Emilio, my sweet, little cub." The little one chirped and even Lemuel's undead heart melted. It was so cute.

The mother gave her cub a first and sadly a last kiss on his head, then with him in her arms, the light of her life extinguished.

Mildred had to give the cub more than one bottle of milk to sate him. He sure was a hungry little guy. He chirped and his paws were searching for something, while his eyes stayed closed.

"I heard tiger cubs are born blind, but that weretiger cubs are born this way", Joe said.

"Yes, he is very vulnerable. We will see, how long it takes, when he changes the first time into a human."

Joe stroked the cub and it rubbed unconsciously his head on his hand, maybe looking for warmth. Mildred laid the cub in his arms and Joe's big hands and broad chest seemed warm enough for the cub to yawn with a wide open mouth.

"He is so small" Chuy said with big eyes.

Joe looked down to the creature and said softly in his warm voice: "Welcome to Midnight, Emilio."


End file.
